Finger guard and goods guide for sewing machines



A. MICALE Aug. 3, 1965 FINGER GUARD AND GOODS GUIDE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Oct. 29, 1965 Ha. I

INVENTOR ANGELO M/CALE.

1 l I M" ATTORNEY I United States Patent 3,198,152 GUARD AND GDODS GUEBE FGR SEWKNG R'EAQHENES Angelo Micaie, 995 Nassau St, North Brunswick, NJ.

Fiied Oct. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 319,894 1 Claim. (Ci. 112ll53) and agoods guide which is adjustable for sewing wide hems and also for sewing very close to the edge of goods, as in what is known as top stitching, i.e., when decorative material is sewed to a base material, wherein the stitching is often done very close to the edge of both materials.

The structure shown in the present disclosure is desirable so that, for narrow hems or edge stitching, the goods guide may be moved relatively close to the needle without interference of the finger guard.

The drawings illustrate the invention, and in these:

FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are respectively left side, front, right side, and plan views, showing the combination of a finger guard and goods guide, both as attached to an adjustable supporting arm or connector which is secured to the foot bar of a sewing machine;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a finger guard and an adjustable goods guide of a modified form, both as connected to an adjustable arm shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are respectively right side and bottom plan views of the goods guide proper shown in FIG. 5;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are respectively plan and left side views of the connector itself, shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3;

FIG. 10 is a section, on line Iii-10 of FIG. 11, of the form of goods guide shown in FIGS. 1-4, the sme being shown in up-turned position;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a bottom plan view of FIG. 10;

FIGS. 13 and 14 are respectively front elevation and bottom plan views of the finger guard shown in FIGS. 15;

FIGS. 15 and 16 are respectively head end and plan views of a screw used to connect certain parts; and

FIGS. 17 and 18 are respectively head end and plan views of an Allen screw used to connect certain parts.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description, and at first to the form shown in FIGS. 1-4 and 10, 11 and 12, a supporting connector 20 (FIGS. 1-3 and 9), in the form of an angular arm, has an open slot 21 cut in the upper end of its upwardly extending rear portion to receive a thumb screw 22 by which it is connected to a sewing machine foot bar 23, being thereby adjustably secured both angularly and up and down. The proximal end portion 20A (FIGS. 8 and 9) is thickened on one side and that portion has a vertical hole 26 to receive the shorter leg of a finger guard 27 (FIG. 13) which is in the form of an inverted U, and of stout round wire, the guard thereby extending upright above its supported position and also to the right of the connector (FIG. 2). An advantage of this simple form of guard is that it allows the necessary view of the needle for threading and sewing. It will be understood that the guard is in front of the needle and over or in front of the machine foot. To hold the guard in place, there is a threaded hole 29 (FIG. 8) in the side of portion of 20A to receive a set screw 36 (FIG. 9) to be tightened against the shorter inserted leg of the guard.

In front of the positioned guard, the thicknened portion Faten'ted Aug. 3, 1955 tat 20A has a horizontal hole 33 (FIGS. 8 and 9), to slidably receive the shank 35A of a goods guide 35 (FIGS. 1, 5, 10). A set screw 36, in vertical hole 36A, tightens the shank in a selected position.

The guide extends to the right of connector 20 and is in front of the finger guard 27, and includes a short, cylindrical, hollow roller 37 which depends from the shank. The bottom of the roller touches the machine table and guides the edge of the goods being sewed. To suspend the roller from the shank, a small, threaded, bolt 41) passes through the roller and enters a threaded hole in the enlarged right end portion 35AB of the shank. The roller is formed internally with opposed annular shoulders, one of which serves to hold the bolt at its head, and the other of which holds one end of a compressed coiled spring 42. The coil is around the bolt and one end bears against the enlarged end 35AB of the shank. The spring acts to hold the roller pressed against the machine table so that goods cannot creep under it.

The roller is small enough in diameter so that it may pass the right leg of the finger guard and brought as close as desired to the stitching line, in conditions previously explained.

Another form of the invention (FIGS. 5-7) is similar to the form described, except that the guide 45 is different and the shank 35B is of uniform diameter, not being enlarged at an end. The guide is generally triangular in shape and its straight bottom edge is adapted to rest on the machine table, and it has a transverse hole 47 into which the shank is fitted, the guide being therefore transverse to the shank and extending in the direction in which the goods travel.

In this form of the invention, due to the length of the guide (transverse to the shank), it can be adjusted rather close to the line of stitching, but not as close as the previously described form, being limited, in a leftward shifting, by the finger guard, up to which it may be brought.

What is claimed is:

An attachment for a sewing machine, comprising a supporting connector adapted to be adjustably secured to a sewing machine said connector being a rigid L-shaped member having one end thereof adapted to be connected to the sewing machine for angular and up and down movement with respect thereto, an upright finger guard of inverted U-shape extending beyond the right side of the connector and having one leg secured to the other end of the connector, a goods guide comprising a horizontally disposed shank passing transversely and slidably through the supporting connector and extending to the right of the connector, the body of the guide adjustably depending from the shank and adapted to touch the sewing machine table, the body of the guide being a cylindrical roller vertically positioned endwise, the guide comprising a spring under compression to press downwardly on the roller.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,053,679 2/13 Tela 112--151 1,146,892 7/15 Mashbir 112--261 1,194,961 8/16 Cranage 112261 2,478,032 8/49 Wallsh 112-151 2,653,559 9/53 Picucci 112-152 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,186,501 2/59 France.

ROBERT V. SLOAN, Primary Examiner. 

